Alva j



(No Model.)

A. J. HI SOOTT.

DRESS SHIELD.

No. 338,744. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

IIVVENTOH WITNESSES rney N. PETERS, Pholo-Lilhagnphcr. washing, n.c.

NITED STATES PATENT Erica.

ALVA J. HISCOTT, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE CAN- FIELD RUBBER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DRESS-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,744, dated March 30, 1886.

Application filed September 3, 1885. Serial No. 176,102].

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVA J. Hrscorr, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress-Shields; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in dress-shields.

Hitherto it has been customary in the manufacture of dress-shields to unite the two flaps by a seam extending along the ridge of the fold, or along one side of the fold just below the ridge. Different schemes have been adopted in uniting the two parts, the object having been to provide a seam which shall be felt as little as possible by the wearer.

The object of my present invention is to provide a shield which shall possess the more important advantages of the well-known seamless shield, and which will retain its shape with certainty, and can be manufactured at a reduced cost.

\Vith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the shield as it appears when first cut from the blank. Fig. 2 represents the same with the gore inserted, and Fig. 3 is a View of the shield folded ready for use.

The material of which the shield is made is preferably composed of an outer and an inner layer of what is commonly known as stockinet, the two layers of stockinet being united by some water-proof materialrubber, for example. The material of which the shield is composed is not, however, the important feature in the present instance, as the construction shown will admit of the use of any soft fabric coated with water-proof material, and one or more layers may be used, as found most convenient and best.

A represents the main body of the shield as it appears when stamped or otherwise out (No model.)

out of the stock. The body A is provided with a radial slit, a, extending nearly to the center, or the distance which is required to give the lesser flap the desired depth. A gore, B, is inserted in the slit a, its edges be ing secured to the edges of the slit by fiat seams, which shall present as little roughness or elevation as possible. The insertion of the gore B tends to full the body on that side where it is inserted, and causes it to naturally fold over on the other portion of the body, as shown in Fig. 3. A little pressure will set the fold, and the shield will naturally retain its shape ever after. The ridge of the fold should run slightly above the vertex of the gore or end of the slit, and will therefore present a perfectly-even surface where it lies in the crease under the arm. Moreover, the di rections of the seams from the bottom of the slit to the circumference of the shield are such that they do not cross and choke the bloodvessels beneath the arm, and, in fact, are but slightly felt, if at all, and produce no irritation whatever.

The construction of the shield affords also a very great saving in stock, since the portions of the stock which lie between the succession of circular cuts serve as the gores to secure the fold.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the construction of the shield without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. For example, the slit might be cut in other directions than radially and in other forms than straight, and two or more slits might be formed instead of one, and each have a gore inserted therein; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A dress-shield having a gore inserted in one of its flaps or folds, substantially as set forth.

2. A dressshicld formed from a fiat piece of stock, having a gore inserted in one edge to assist in forming a fold, substantially as set forth.

3. A dress-shield consisting, essentially, of specification in the presence of two a circular-shaped piece of stock, having a gore ing Witnesses. inserted in its edge and folded, the ridge of the fold being seamless and located a short dis- 5 tance from the vertex .of the gore, substantiall y as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this l Witnesses:

D. M. BALDWIN, .A. M. WOOSTER.

su-bscrib ALVA J. HISCOTT. 

